1. Field of the Invention
This specification relates to a sterilization system, and more particularly, a sterilization system capable of performing a circulation sterilization and a rinsing function using raw water at the same time.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, a water purifier is an apparatus that filters off tap water (piped water) supplied from a source of the tap water in physical and chemical manners to remove impurities and supplies the filtered water.
Such water purifiers may be classified into a natural filtration type, a direct filtration type, an ion-exchange type, a distillation type, a reverse osmosis type and the like according to a principle or method of purifying water.
Also, water purifiers may be classified according to a shape of a water purifier into a storage type water purifier that stores purified water passed through a filter in a water tank and then supplies the stored purified water in a heating or cooling manner, and a direct type water purifier that supplies purified water passed through a filter in a heating or cooling manner without a water tank.
What is important in a drinking water supply apparatus such as a water purifier is sanitation because it supplies at least one of purified water, cold water or hot water that a person directly drinks.
However, when the water purifier is used for a long term of time, foreign materials may be likely to be stuck in inner passages of the water purifier through which water flows, valves, cocks and the like. This may lower the sanitation due to the propagation of bacteria such as microorganisms.
In order to remove contaminants of the water purifier, a sterilizer may be mounted in the water purifier or provided separate from the water purifier and connected to the water purifier if necessary, so as to sterilize the water purifier.
For example, the sterilizers may be classified into a direct type sterilizer that generates sterilizing water containing a sterilization material through electrolysis of water, generates sterilizing water using raw water and makes the generated sterilizing water flow into a water tank so as to simultaneously sterilize the water tank and drain out the water from the water tank, and a circulation type sterilizer that circulates sterilizing water between a sterilization module and a water purifier so as to sterilize water, as disclosed in the following prior art document.
However, the related art sterilizer has the following problems.
First, the direct type sterilizer throws away sterilizing water which has been used once, and the circulation type sterilizer generates sterilizing water of high concentration by repetitive electrolyzing sterilizing water, which has been generated through an electrolyzer. Therefore, the direct type sterilizer exhibits lowered sterilization efficiency rather than the circulation type sterilizer.
Second, the circulation type sterilizer is merely provided with a circulation passage for circulating sterilizing water, which causes a limitation in a rinsing operation after sterilizing water tanks and the like. For example, the sterilizing water needs to be drained out for the rinsing operation. If the existing drain passage is used for draining out the sterilizing water, a healthcare manager has to separate a connection hose connected to a water cock during the drainage, connects a drain passage to the water cock and drains out water into a sink or the like, causing the manager's inconvenience.
Third, a water cock which serves as a dispensing opening for the user to dispense (extract) cold water or hot water is exposed to an outside of a water purifier, and thereby is vulnerable to sanitation.
Fourth, the related art circulation type sterilizer drains out water of a water storage tank, a cold water tank, a hot water tank and the like by connecting a separate drain hose to a water cock. In this manner, the related art circulation type sterilizer has a limitation in a drain passage for draining out sterilizing water, which results in an extended drainage time while draining out the sterilizing water after sterilizing the water tanks and the like.
Fifth, in case of simply combining the existing direct type sterilizer and the circulation type sterilizer in order to rinse (or wash out) water tanks and the like of a water purifier using raw water, if a rinsing water supply passage, separate from a sterilizing water circulation passage, is connected to a water tank from a raw water supply unit, it results in an increase in additional costs for the passage connection. If the rinsing water supply passage is connected to the sterilizing water circulation passage, upon introduction of the rinsing water into the circulation passage, the rinsing water may flow backward to a water cock.
Sixth, in case where there is no water in an electrolyzer or hot water is introduced into the electrolyzer during generation of sterilizing water through electrolysis, electrodes, an electrolyte membrane and the like of the electrolyzer are damaged.
Seventh, when air bubbles are introduced into a sterilizing water circulation passage through which a direct type water purifier and a sterilizer are connected to each other, the air bubbles may be likely to be introduced into an electrolyzer. This may cause a metallic coating layer formed on the electrodes and the electrolyte membrane of the electrolysis to be peeled off.
Eighth, when sterilizing water is introduced into an electrolyzer through a hot water tank, the hot sterilizing water reduces solubility of a sterilizing material such as ozone and the like, which may interfere with smooth generation of sterilizing water.